Lincoln Riley registered another dominant win (31-13) against Bryce Underwood‘s Michigan on Saturday. But the offensive unit dealt with a major blow. In the first half, Riley’s starting running back, Waymond Jordon, was seen limping and, ultimately, being carted off the field. According to the latest intel by Matt Zenitz, he has suffered an ankle injury, barring him from playing for at least weeks.

“USC standout running back Waymond Jordan suffered an ankle injury last night vs. Michigan that’s expected to sideline him at the very least multiple games, sources tell me and @chris_hummer,” Matt Zenitz wrote on X. Before he got off the field, he had chipped in 39 yards on 11 carries. Over the season, Jordan has tallied 88 carries for a team-high 576 yards (ranked No. 17th in the country) and five touchdowns.  The 5’10, 205-pound RB was a JUCO-transfer who entered the Trojans’ roster for the 2025 season.

With Jordan, who is a junior, moving to the sidelines, there is no other scholarship RB present on the roster.

In addition to him, another running back, Eli Sanders, also left the field. Although he didn’t receive a carry while on the field, the RB backup’s injury was another jolt. With both running backs out of the field, it was challenging. On the defensive front, DT Floyd Boucard also left the field in the second quarter, with what appeared to be a leg injury. The medical staff helped get off to the sidelines.

Riley was asked about the mounting injuries during halftime. “I might have to carry the ball,” he joked. Jordan is out for a while now, and Eli? “Eli’s (injury) doesn’t look super positive in terms of the rest of the season. So, we’ll get confirmation on it, but it doesn’t look positive,” the head coach said per On3.

But little did Riley know, a walk-on would ultimately save the day.

King Miller goes explosive

Replacing Jordan, walk-on King Miller took the spot and saved the day. It was the first time since 1994 that a walk-on scored a 15-yard run in the third quarter, earning the MVP of the game for the Trojans, with one touchdown and a game-high 158 rushing yards. “It was all honestly just a dream come true,” he beamed post-game. “The whole (running back) group is amazing, so no matter who you put in there, we always believe we can go out there and shock the world.”

Miller was listed as the third running back on the depth chart. But he savoured the opportunity and left no crumbs. Rushing a 49-yard run and another 47-yard run, he gained significant yardage for Jayden Maiava’s offense. The  6’0, 200-pound RB went unranked during his high school, but proved his mettle by making the most of his opportunity on Saturday.

The head coach was beaming over King’s explosive performance. “King was huge,” Riley said, calling him hardworking. He stepped up and made big plays. That was obviously really important for us with the way it went down,” Riley added. “And honestly, hell, we didn’t have anyone else. But he was awesome.” With both the RBs out of the game, for now, until further updates, USC’s RB unit looks secure with King’s run game. Moving on, USC Trojans will face off against Notre Dame. The Irish are already struggling with their defense, and maybe King might be able to exploit their weaknesses.